Chicago Bears: Offensive success depends on Allen Robinson
The Chicago Bears’ wide receiver play was woeful last season. They made moves in the offseason to change that and Allen Robinson is key for offensive success in 2018.
The Chicago Bears passing game was awful last season. The unit ranked last in pass attempts and yards, and ranked 31st in touchdowns scored. General manager Ryan Pace worked to end all that. He signed receivers Allen Robinson and Taylor Gabriel and tight end Trey Burton to put weapons around quarterback Mitch Trubisky. Additionally, he drafted wide receiver Anthony Miller. Pace also strengthened the offensive line to help the passing game.
Of all the moves made, the Robinson signing is the most important. He was the most coveted free agent wide receiver, even as he recovers from an ACL injury that cost him nearly the entire 2017 season.
If Robinson is over the injury, he certainly adds an aspect not usually seen in a Chicago Bears offense: a wide receiver who gives the offense a big-play capability. He can take a short pass and take it long, or he can get past defenders and catch the deep ball. The receivers had trouble creating separation last season. Robinson does a good job of doing that.
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In new head coach Matt Nagy’s offense, Robinson will have many opportunities to succeed. If all goes well, we could see a front-runner for Comeback Player of the Year. He’s the bonafide leader of the wide receiver corps. It’s up to him to help lift the other receivers and I feel he can do that.
With him, Gabriel and Miller, the Bears can have a top-notch trio. Gabriel had some productive seasons in Atlanta playing alongside number one receiver Julio Jones. He can do the same with Robinson. In Miller, the Bears have a very confident player with a chip on his shoulder. People keep telling him how he won’t make it, yet he was a second-round pick. He felt he was the best receiver in the draft and he’ll try to back that up at the pro level.
Does Robinson have too much pressure?
There are a lot of high expectations for Robinson this season. He’s expected to be the top guy on the receivers corps. Many practically view him as a messiah. Bleacher Report’s lead NFL writer Doug Farrar recently wrote an article on players who’d disappoint in 2018. Robinson was one of those players. Here is what he said:
"Robinson practiced for the first time since the injury during the Bears’ May minicamp, but it’s safe to say Chicago isn’t sure what it has in Robinson. If he gets back to his 2015 numbers, that would be huge for the Bears’ passing offense, but given his 2016 regression and the specter of the 2017 injury, that’s a tough bet."
If he’s able to handle the high expectations place upon him and come through with flying colors, he’ll become another Chicago Bears legend. If not, he can expect their wrath. Ask Chris Conte or Shea McClellin how the fans act when they get disappointed in a player.
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I believe Robinson has the makeup to handle the pressure. If he is indeed over his injury, he should make Bears fans happy for years to come.